Meerschaum-Lined Briars!? What Sorcery is This?

[craig61a]

If I had to hazard a guess as to what the binder might be, I'd guess it was Sodium Silicate (Waterglass) which has no taste at all. I use a mixture of waterglass and 4F pumice to repair old Meer lined pipes that have cracked or are missing pieces in the chamber.

Like this one I just did the other day…

 

[Searock Fan]

I just remembered I had this Chacom Ecume that I bought several years ago sitting in a closet .

View attachment 121548

It’s an XL bent billiard. My moistened finger sticks to the inner wall… I think that means it might be block Meer. They may have had some old block Meer they came across, I don’t know. Most of the block Meer pipes I’ve come across were made prior to 1970, before Turkey banned the export of unfinished Meer block.

I just have to address the above comment about “painting” a slurry of ground up Meer and binders into a pipe chamber… complete Bullshit.

Pressed Meer inserts are just that - ground up chips with a binder added and
pressed” under pressure in molds.

Carving meerschaum is like carving a bar of soap… they don’t end up with sawdust. Meer is carved while it is still damp after it’s mined from the ground.

Chips, sawdust, painted, molded. It's all just different terminology for the same thing.

 

[craig61a]

I've heard it speculated that it may be a method of saving an otherwise good pipe when some sort of defect was found in the chamber.

If the pipe in question has some value as an older antique, or an example of a rare shape, or maker that had some notoriety, and the bowl was fried, over reamed, etc. then that would be an option. I have some inserts laying around somewhere, but I've never bothered to do anything with them yet. Although I plan to one day...

 

[craig61a]

Chips, sawdust, painted, molded. It's all just different terminology for the same thing.

 

[mortonbriar]

And after 600 bowls.....you cant see the change in colour. I would rather smoke a meer that is more than just a mere lining.

 

[Merton]

And after 600 bowls.....you cant see the change in colour. I would rather smoke a meer that is more than just a mere lining.

Very clever

 

[kurtbob]

My Meer Falcon bowls don't taste like anything... and the few odd new old stock Meer lined pipes I have didn't taste like anything either.

I have several carved block Falcon meer bowls and pipes from other meer carvers which are awesome. Just my experience but, every cheap pressed lined bowl or full pipe has a funky taste.

 

[anantaandroscoggin]

One thing about a Meer-lined pipe, you don't have to deal with a beeswax coating since there''s no outside meer surface.

 

[Chasing Embers]

One thing about a Meer-lined pipe, you don't have to deal with a beeswax coating since there''s no outside meer surface.

You don't have to with a full meerschaum either. It's main function it to deter surface scratches on the pipe.

 

[sablebrush52]

I have a few of them and they're excellent smokers. Meerschaum line pipes have been around since the 19th century.